When we put the Smiling Tiger designation on one of our pop up restaurant events, it means it’s going to a little more over the top than our normal bacchanals.

The keg will be a little colder, the sous vides will see a little heavier action, there will be live djs spinning fat slabs of Texas vinyl, and there will be a shootout. Twelve of the top salsa chefs in Austin will meet on the proving grounds that is Tamale House East with the victor winning dinner for two at Four Seasons, the granddaddy of fine dining in the great state of Texas!

East Austin salsa shootout? An idea whose time has clearly come.

We reached out to some of our favorite local chefs and asked if they’d be willing to compete in the salsa (or hot sauce if you prefer) realm, and they all agreed that that sounded like a hell of a time.

We’re skipping the amuse bouche for this go round, and instead will be putting out a whole gang of salsas for folks to sample, scratch their favorites onto a ballot, then wait for the dust to settle.

With dinner at Four Season for the victor and their loved one hanging in the balance.

Smiling Tiger Restaurant Pop Up #10

East Austin Salsa Shootout

Sat April 13th 2013

7pm

Combatants:

Matt Clouser exec chef at Swift’s Attic

Zack Northcutt, sous chef at Swift’s Attic

David Holtzman, chef instructor Art Institute of Austin

Paul, Aussie

Ryan Adams, Nose To Tail At Home

Jake Camozzi, Leave Me The Oink

Ryan Schierling , Foie Gras Hotdog

Homero Sanchez, San Antonio native

Maggie Blair, Central Texas regional hot sauce comp winner

Margaret Christine, Notes From Maggie’s Farm

Robert Ohanessian

Michelle Hendricks, Culinary student

and a big thank you to Four Seasons, our favorite splurge restaurant in Austin, Texas.